Recommended Resources

These recommended resources and tools I LOVE, USE and BELIEVE in… and MOST importantly, DESIGNED WELL for friends and fellow side hustlers alike.

As a frugal person, I buy right the first time for quality, even if it’s not free. The only reason to replace is to upgrade a well-loved item.

I don’t cheap out. You end up spending more to replace inferior and acquiring the desired model out of frustration. Test drive first and upgrade later.

BOOKS

BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES – KINDLE UNLIMITED, AUDIBLE, SCRIBD

AMAZON’S KINDLE UNLIMITED has the largest independent eBook selection. If you are in learning mode, it’s worth bingeing a couple of months if you read more than two books a month. I say two because you get a free book via Amazon Lending as a Prime Member.

AUDIBLE is an audiobook subscription service that gives one credit a month regardless of the price of the book. It makes sense if your book comes out to be more expensive than the subscription price. You can also rollover credits if you don’t use your credit. You do get subscription prices (i.e., discounts) for subsequent audiobooks, alas one credit! Best selection in books though.

SCRIBD (30 Day trial) is unlimited in both books and audiobooks. It’s my favorite service of the three because of the selection and unlimited audible book options. The price is typically less than a movie ticket.

I also subscribe to Ramit Sethi’s stance on buying books. If I take away one idea or implementation, I buy the book. I’ve been able to read one book and listen to one audiobook per service, so I’ll remain subscribed as long as I can keep up.

I prefer digital services mainly because of space. The room at home is 14’x14′. Next year I plan on purging more books that I can read via subscription. I’m making an exception to my copywriting books and favorite books over the years. The upside to any one of these services means you can have your books wherever you have a reader. Be your computer (using Chrome extension), Kindle or iPad.

A bulk of my beloved possessions are books. I personally also spent at least $100 on books last year that I later found that many were on these services, so I believe this is the most frugal option going forward. When you have moved at least as many times as I have, you also start to understand that stuff multiplies like dog hair if you allow it.

If you do have physical books, I read in bed when everyone else is asleep. It’s not too intrusive compared to having the desk light on. You can also clip to your Kindle or iPad as well.

KINDLE PAPERWHITE or KINDLE OASIS

My choice when it comes to e-readers. I wish they come in a larger size (but that also adds bulk). I currently use a Paperwhite and looking to upgrade to the Oasis for a slightly larger screen. They have limited internet capabilities. Mostly enough so you’re able to download your content. The reason why people opt for both a Kindle and iPad is that extended reading sessions are easier for your eyes without the extra bright backlit screen. It is also intentional that a Kindle has up to two functions: eBook and audiobooks. If you’re on an iPad, you start multitasking (games, browsing).
Current model: Kindle PaperwhiteLooking to upgrade/ splurge: Kindle Oasis

IPAD

More functional than the standalone eReader, but not the best reader for extended reading. A larger screen and relatively light and durability make it travel-friendly. You can get an older iPad, ensure it has adequate storage. I would go for a newer iPad or iPad Pro to future-proof. I’ve used a 16gb as long as I can, but audible books are starting to take up space.

These are titles I recommend, and I’ve seen others in my related interests have found helpful. Most books come in physical, eBook form and even audiobook form. For ease, all of these are Amazon links or Barnes & Nobles links.

Nothing replaces the touch and feel of a physical book. It comes darn close, but studies do show that writing notes in your books (Not a sin!) and directly engaging with the book helps retain the material better. I do buy physical books periodically and do my best to share them with the local Free Libraries in my community. One of my career goals is to open up a coworking space to see more book love.

PLUGINS & USEFUL TOOLS

It makes gooblygook links turn into parseable ones. You know for affiliate links, sharing Google Docs or a specific link you want to refer to easily? That’s what this little plug-in does. The premium version also does redirects should you have dead links. It’s useful when you can chunk information blocks, so it’s easier to recall.

The premium version allows you to customize buttons and also share your share numbers.

YOAST

At least install the free version.

AKISMET

Spam-blocker. Enough said.

PICMONKEY, CANVA or BOTH!

Online Adobe Photoshop alternative. Both subscriptions are less than a subscription to Photoshop.

A PASSWORD MANAGER

I currently recommend LastPass as that’s the one I use. Another contender is DASHLANE. I stopped remembering passwords.. mostly, and when I need to generate passwords on the spot, LastPass does that. Instead of me using the same password for everything else.

OFFICE SETUP

Move away from the inkjet. Long-term it is more expensive and more printer ink bleed. Laser printers are more ink efficient. I usually get about a ream or two out of each ink toner, which I usually buy generic. The drum I don’t recommend going generic. Generic ink toners are maybe $10-20 for 2 or 3 packs. I spend $30-50 previous on just a single black and white on inkjets. And some inkjets are picky and require both cartridges even if you only print black and white. You can also do a quick Google search to reset the toner pack to get more usage out of it. You can’t do once you drain an injet cartridge.

I don’t like the triangular bulk from a binder’s spine. I bought a bulk stack from Staples and reduced the number of binders in the room. Get clear ones so you can save time from flipping through the files when you’re ID-ing a specific one. They’re also usually cheaper than a binder.

Scan receives and documents to reduce the clutter in your home office! Best user-experience in portable tabletop scanners. It even eats multiple sheets in a feeding session!

COMFY CUSHIONS

I haven’t found a good chair that comes with a good bottom. As cushions are more personal (and cheaper) to expense, get a LUMBAR CUSHION and a SEAT CUSHION. These are the ones I have at home. Sometimes I even carry a travel version of a seat cushion. <– A definite must-have for long sitting sessions, like a long flight!

COMFY CHAIR

A reasonably priced one would be a chair from Office Depot or Staples. I find Ikea chairs uncomfortable.

Rosemarie Groner of The Busy Budgeter swears by an exercise ball is better than an Aeron. You can bounce around, so you’re not entirely stationary while you work. It isn’t an option for me as I have one particularly curious husky pup who would be happy to sink his teeth into the ball.

Current Setup: Chair from StaplesReasonable and healthier setup: Exercise ballLooking to Upgrade/ Splurge: An Aeron *drools* *one-day*. Interestingly, I’ve seen one in person (or a good dup) at a Holiday Inn of all places.

PENS

Complete pen aficionado. The thinner and precise the tip, the better. I’m pretty proud of my penmanship, which is a mixture of cursive and print. Most of the ones I like aren’t available to the American market.

I am pro-cursive. Lazy writers should notice that cursive doesn’t require you to lift your fingers off the paper. One fell stroke.

These are pens I find reliable, and continuously testing out new ones.

UNIBALL’S SIGNO LINE – The 0.18 (not available domestically) is fantastic to hold. You can write on a grain of rice if you wish to. Unfortunately, the fragility and ink stalling breaks the practicality of buying them in bulk.

It’s a one-piece. Travels easily and has a USB setup. Handy when you misplace lightning cables. The price, unfortunately, builds on the fact that most other docks don’t include the watch charging piece.

I’m not as with it with the single strip. I prefer the standing towers, and THIS ONE has sections where you can turn off when not in use. Other features you might want to look out for: master switches or always on- to override the master switches.

MICROPHONE

For those doing podcasting and webinars. Not at this stage yet, but YETIs get a lot of recommendations!

CAMERA

A DSLR is not a skill I possess. As a hustler, I recommend the minimum is a smartphone camera. One reason why there aren’t as many pictures on my page. I’m better with words, though I aim to bridge the two eventually.

SECONDthat functions as a prop if you’re working at a table. It doubles as storage when not in use. Apple’s minimalistic and unibody design inspires this beauty.

DESK

The current setup is a slab of wood from IKEA with adjustable legs. It’s simple and fits right over Sol’s crate as a space saver. I would love to upgrade to a full-length standing desk with the cranks and everything.

I like this unintrusive and straightforward design. The MODEL I went with had an extra USB charging dock (never too many of these), but the WHITE and BLUES of the lowest setting can still keep a person up. For this reason, I keep the clip-on booklight close by when I’m working at night.

ON-THE-GO

BACKPACK

My current is a GORUCK Echo. I’m looking into one of theirGR-1s as that’s better for travel. The Echo is perfect for a laptop and serves well as an everyday commuter. I love it so much that I’ve mostly foregone carrying purses. My previous backpacks were Jansport and SwissGear. The Jansport had no real support for laptops (my baby and workhorse), and things were steadily getting lost in the SwissGear laptop bag (it was purple!).

Pricy suckers, but super durable with open-lay-flat construction. Not halfway like my Jansport. I saw this brand and fell in love with the simplicity and waterproof material (essential in a laptop bag). The “rucking” community is known for their endurance training and challenges. Think marathon-types where most people carry heavy loads. Somewhat resembles military training, hence why these bags need to be durable. I plan on attending a light challenge this year!

Get organizers (similar to packing cubes) if you have knick-knacks. Mine are amenity kits from my local airport.

TRAVEL PILLOW

I’m not a fan of the awkward looking U-shape floaties that seem to have permeated the traveling world. I’m a huge fan of THIS ONE I found on Amazon. The underwiring plastic is curved to mimics a curvature of your neck, so you aren’t overextending your neck sleeping upwards.

Going a step further than packing cubes are vacuum-sealed bags. It’s like a high watching a hosed vacuum suck ALL the air out of your clothes. It does reduce your load by 1/4 appearance-wise. Then you can tuck them in your cubes.

Get the ones that allow you to hose vacuum vs. the ones you manually roll.

TRAVEL ADAPTORS

My favorite little device is this BELKIN PORTABLE CHARGER for domestic travel. Two USB inserts and three prongs for your electronics and you can share in a public setting!

I found it more affordable to buy international chargers abroad. Calling you out, Best Buy and Amazon. You can obtain the correct pieces what you need upon arrival. Only buy the interchangeable ones if you have an immediate use. In the past, I paid $30 for something that’s at most $3 because I wanted to be prepared abroad.

WATER BOTTLE

Hidrate makes a Bluetooth-enabled one. Yeup, fancy. Program the app and the bottle flashes to remind you to drink water.

I figured out two things: I wasn’t drinking water because I didn’t make it accessible. Sodas, juices, and horchata/were more interesting. So this bottle sits in within peripheral vision to the right of the computer. Like a monkey, I take at least a few gulps each time it flashes. Now, I find myself grabbing the bottle naturally.

Comes in pretty frosted colors for those who care.

Water is the best substance for your body. Pay the piper and motivate yourself to drink more water is a total win.

They look silly, but they do seem to reduce strain on a computer or nearby screens. The colors *pop* out better and they’re decently fashionable. The ones I wear have white lenses, as I found the orange lenses a bit more bothersome. White lenses also don’t distort my vision if I left them on.

You’ll want pairs that protect your eyes from blue-light that emits from electronics.

Minimum if you elect not to carry a heavy coat. I got a great black one from Uniqlo that I can wear in the summer heat. It’s thin enough that you can quickly stuff into any bag. Even comes with a baggie. Thick enough that it can survive a New York winter (if you had nothing else. Come on I live in Cali!). It retains heat well. I can honestly see it more practical than carrying a peacoat. Mostly weatherproof. Doesn’t protect you from heavy rain.

TECH TOOLS

Phone

iPhone if you’re an Apple Head and Google Pixel for Android users. Choose the largest screen that’s comfortable for you. If you plan on keeping phones for more than a year, opt for the largest storage option you can afford. Apps and OSes are only going get more power hungry.

LAPTOP

Here is my extremely biased opinion to a question I get over-and-over again, which gives the impression I’m a tech wiz. FYI, I’m not. I may theoretically program a remote but cannot use the actual device.

MacBook: I typically recommend this option if people are open to a MacBook. Skip the Air. Go straight to the regular MacBook for portability and beautiful screen. It can charge with a USB-C cord (highly useful with a giant battery pack). Pro if you want a workhorse. Choose the largest screen, storage, and memory you can afford. Apples are notoriously tricky to customize on your own without voiding your warranty. Buy refurbished.

Lenovo: For PC users, ThinkPad is solid compared to the plastics Hewitt Packard (HP) uses. Sony also made great laptops, but they’re out of that business now. I no longer deal with PCs by choice.

It is an uphill battle to propose Google can do one better when others feel that Apple is overpriced. Pixels run entirely on Chrome, so it’s a product of sleek simplicity if you only need an office suite. The price tag generally repels heads, but I happily bought my Pixel 2 used when Google discontinued the line. Luckily it has resurrected as “Pixelbook” with the success of the Pixel phone line.

Once you go Pixel, it’s difficult to recommend a cheaper option when the user experience is superior in almost every aspect.

P.S. Apple: If Google can figure out the Touchscreen. You guys can figure it out. An iPad with a keyboard isn’t comparable.

Light-weight. X2 can charge with USB, X3 has a smoother sound and proprietary piece which hooks to USB (pointless, really). I believe that the X2 was better designed (seems to be reflected in the going price on Amazon), with X3 better audio improvements. I tend to wear only one ear in and wrap at least one loop around the neck, so it stays in place.

Anker champions the Zolo. I do love the idea of earbuds, but it increases the likelihood of losing one of the small pieces. It is more practical than the Jaybirds for everyday purposes. Most people only really use one ear.

OMG. I can shut myself from the outside world while remaining in the room. I’m usually distracted by a TV show running in the background. The largeness of the headphones also serves as a subtle hint to others that you need to work or be left alone. Can turn on/off noise-canceling.

Current setup: QC 35II with backup Jaybird X3. I liked the X2 more, but so did the thief that lifted my X2. Not sure if earbuds are something I’d consider getting used.

SMARTWATCH
I don’t think a watch is necessary. I’m scatterbrained by nature, so it tells time and current weather (nothing a computer can’t do already).. and serves as a tracker for my phone. Of course, it isn’t a bad idea to use it as a wearable health tracker (that I don’t advise wearing your computer).

Also recommended: buy a glass piece for the screen.

PRODUCTS FOR THE DOG-OWNER (from a husky owner perspective).. and former dog walker

Such a simple and mindblowing design! I’m surprised in the hundreds of years since walking human’s best friend with a lead… that no one has come up with DOUBLE handles. There’s a loop at the end of the six feet length and a secondary one at the one-foot marker.

Luna is a puller at 35lbs. Sol is 65lbs and easily excitable by movement. So it’s wonderous to be able to redirect his attention when a squirrel runs by or working against his husky nature.

When either pulls, the neoprene grip feels better than rope burn when you tighten the slack. I give Luna more free-reign (up to 6ft), while I prefer Sol walking as closely alongside me as possible. That’s where the 1ft loop comes super-handy.

We’ve gone through some leashes. Most of them we pick up at Burlington, Home Goods, Marshalls, etc. (bulk discount stores). They all work for under $10, but nowhere have I seen a double-loop one anywhere.

In the process of getting a second one so that I can walk Sol and Luna together!

I don’t think the price is outrageous because it meets my expectations of a well-designed leash that we take care. It’s the first leash we retrieve because how easy it is to walk either pup. When we do walk both together, we grab whichever leash we find for Luna. I also value my hands enough to avoid rope burn.

Another ridiculous simple design. Huskies are a pulling breed, so these are loose-fitting that they don’t slip off too easily and tighten when the pup pulls. Sol has one that slips on that he wears 99.9% of the time. He’s more massive and mischievous. Luna’s collar has an additional snap clasp to detach after a walk. We used to keep hers on regularly, but Sol’s would chew on hers for leverage during their play sessions (so not cool!). Get the one with the snap clasp for ease if your pet doesn’t wear their collar fulltime.

They come in a set. One for your left and one for your right. You can use them at the same time AND GET IN THERE.

I found it easier to glove only your dominant hand and brush your pet one-handed. Use the non-glove hand to grip your runaway pet. Sol tries to leave (but secretly enjoys the treatment).

When you collect a glove of hair, you can bend your digits slightly, so the hair comes off quickly. Like a flexible cutting board, which BTW is genius! It’s much easier to pull off the hair with your free hand than have two gloved paws.

A FANTASTIC VACUUM

Ours. It bears saying twice. A VERY STRONG sucky vacuum cleaner (you and machine… hehe) is necessary. Or you’ll have a fuming smokey vacuum. The amount of hair and dust will break down the weaker or cheaper vacuums.

UPRIGHT VACUUM (this is closest one to the Costco version): Get one with a long hose. I love the ones where you can detach the base so you can reach the strangest corners. We also sometimes run the hose against Sol’s back (to get some of those strays). He also loves playing Attack The Vacuum.

ROBOT VACUUM: Super handy when you do no work aside from pressing a few buttons. They run constantly. The only criticism I have: make bigger rotating brushes and bigger trays.

Have them on hand for guests. I do keep one by the door that I brush quickly before exiting. I’ve given up corralling hair, and I like my blacks.

If you insist on having carpet, get a neutral or dark-colored non-shaggy carpet. My Roomba hates black carpets and gets stuck in the shaggy one, but it is far easier to see all the white lovelies that you can go and squeegee.

CRATE

As someone who crate-trained two huskies pups, I firmly believe that it is a good idea to crate train even if you don’t believe in using a crate long-term. When done correctly, it’s a safe place. Luna no longer uses a crate and has no desire to chew up the house. Sol still uses his crate out of choice mostly. He is the fidgety destructive type when left alone. A crate relaxes him. He naps and self-punishes. It’s actually kinda funny when he runs into the crate for sanctuary.

There are pros to doing it. It housetrains (and sets expectations) with the pups more quickly, ease in transporting (for travel or situations that require pups to be crated) and it reduces separation anxiety. I think they are calmer pups for it.

Get one based on the size the pup can grow into and you can remove partitions as they grow into it. A metal frame with multiple doors will be the best design. To create a den-like feeling, drape a light dark sheet so the pup understands light’s out.

HOME

The Chromecast is one of my favorite tools for any TV with an HDMI outlet. I use it at home for entertainment purposes. Youtube, Netflix, cable shows, etc. The beauty and simplicity of this product allow me to cast a screen (mirror) from my iPad and Chrome Browser. This additional extension also allows pulling videos from your computer.

Almost anyone can have access to it if they are privy to your wifi network (which could be good or bad). It’s the most used household device after the TV. I had the first edition, and it was super buggy on the same network with lots of other devices. CC2 mostly solves that issue but is buggy in less annoying ways.

The 4K edition (the third iteration really) makes sense for 4K-supported TVs that aren’t Cast-supported. When we were upgrading to a 4k, I immediately looked into this model until I saw the price tag. My jaw dropped: $35 (1st generation) + $35 (2nd generation) + $70 (3rd generation)…. um, might as well get an AppleTV at that point! Then we realized our TV natively supported Chromecast. WHOOO!

I converted almost everyone at home to love the Chromecast. It’s device agnostic. I would argue the AppleTV would be more useful for people heavy with Apple Devices.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO NETFLIX, HULU WITHOUT ADS, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Consider all three as a cord-cutting solution (life hack!). It may not work if your favorite shows aren’t supported. Ahem, CBS(aff.)… which is only available via their own service *cough* It’s a viable solution if you can forego sports. Or you can opt to have cable during your favorite sporting seasons.

Netflix caters to more contemporary movies, shows and a platform for their shows. And Disney movies!

Hulu has an impressive collection of older shows and current seasons. You can usually watch the last 3-5 episodes within days of the airing date. I would personally spring for COMMERCIAL-FREE, so you’re not watching the same five commercials. I pay the extra $4 for sanity. That and it satisfies my binge watching. I once had Whose Line Is It Anyway? Uninterrupted for days. Not saying you should, but you can! Watching the performers improvise on the spot has helped with my copywriting.

Amazon Prime Video is included with Amazon Prime (not yet a member?). The one criticism I have is they arrange all their content by name and season. The user experience can easily be simplified.

If you live in Southern California (or you can order these online- just more limited selection). AKI is like a smaller Japanese Ikea. This collection “cools” the hottest sleepers. Fantastic for hot summers. Ours are in the 100s easily, though I sleep with the other side on colder nights. The material is naturally slippery, so exercise some precaution, so they don’t become floor magnets.

AKI TEMPERATURE REGULATING COMFORTER

Here’s a similar ONE ON AMAZON. Our favorite blanket. People and dog-approved. Keeps cool during hot summers and warm during cold winters.

BLUETOOTH PORTABLE SPEAKERS

I love the ANKER SOUNDCORE 2. The Anker line is rugged and attractive for the price. Long-lasting battery and impressive range. I have this one sitting next to my workstation, or it goes outside with me as I work in the yard. If you want to spend more in this category, Bose and Logitech UE are lovely.

SMART SPEAKERS

Pick your poison. I’m a much bigger fan of Google Home more than Amazon Alexa. While I don’t have the Apple HomePod, I think they’re all excellent. Unfortunately, most of these smarter speakers need docking. My Google Home controls the light in the room. I do also have a Dot, but I’ve somewhat avoided setting up knowing how easy it connects to Amazon’s store.

TWIST TIES, CORD ORGANIZERS

I used to collect the cheap metal twist-ties in grocery items. THESE ELASTIC TIES are fantastic for collecting the many electronics and tie up any loose hanging cords. I’m also a huge fan of the ones that come in Anker’s packaging.. so I also recommend THESE SHORTER ONES

WOOL DRYER BALLS

Dryer balls are more environmentally friendly to boxes of dryer sheets. A pack of six goes for about two large boxes of warehouse-quality dryer sheets. Theoretically should outlast the boxes. So I think they’re also price-friendly. If you’re into essential oils or scenting your dryer balls, that’s super easy to do. A few drops on each ball and toss them in. Keep them away from your dogs. Sol loves to chew them up when he sees a rogue one. Power chewers, like Sol, love soft “toys” more than their super durable ones. He has chewed off the faces of THESE CUTE PENGUIN ONES. Also fantastic for those with detergent or scent allergies.

They are super-useful in the hairy dog world. Great for non-shaggy carpets, windows, and car interiors. If you want cheap, Ikea carries them for $2.99. They’re a bit pricier on Amazon. I haven’t found a place that sells cheap reasonably closer than Ikea.

INSTAPOT

Get at least a 6L. If you were to have one small appliance. Allow it to be an Instapot.

PODCAST

Podcasts is a recent discovery! I don’t miss the radio.. all that mind melt crap, when I have my phone loaded with episodes I can binge on the road, outdoors or working.

I will say this the main reason for me to want to upgrade my phone (for larger storage). I wish streaming were free to warrant keeping my current phone. It’s either pay streaming fees or update the phone to hold the episodes.

Pete McPherson’s Do you Even Blog — the BEST long-form podcast about blogs

Kim Anderson’s Just Keep Blogging

Chris Guillebeau’s Side Hustle School — this has been an inspiration to this site

Solopreneur Hour

Jordan Harbinger’s Art of Charm — Great interpersonal tips based on psychology about sweet-talking (ahem. navigating) through life

Kira Hug & Rob Marsh’s The Copywriter Club — Two of my favorite radio personalities. Stay for Kira’s laugh and Rob’s concise storytelling. And oh yeah, they interview other copywriters in the business. They recently reached 100 episodes. Congratulations btw!

Amy Porterfield’s Marketing Made Easy — I’ve learned a lot of my marketing for listening to her podcast and scanning her website. I also know (not yet acquainted) with a couple of the copywriters who wrote some of her landing and launch pages.

Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income — I honestly don’t know how he does everything. Blog, podcast, video, author and still find time to be one of the kindest and insightful guys in the industry.

Ben Settle — an email content king. He runs his entire facebook group as a “dictatorship” one can get behind on. Always an insightful opinion.